"It was worth it to try and give it a go" - Romain Bardet with no regrets after offensive ride in stage 8
Cycling
Team dsm-firmenich PostNL had a clear game plan for Giro d'Italia stage 8. While his teammates covered early moves, Romain Bardet was ready to take over the initiative and joined the move that eventually stuck at the front. The Frenchman - in hopes of a leap forward after disappointing opening weekend - had his eyes set on stage as well as GC, but neither worked out in the end as UAE Team Emirates never let the escapees off the hook.
"We wanted to try it on the second climb today. The guys were really good and up there with me in the first part of the break formation. I’m a bit disappointed we weren’t given more of a gap in the end, but it was worth it to try and give it a go. On the last climb the peloton caught us and I held on for a bit but that was all I had today. Tomorrow is another day though and we keep fighting," Bardet said in press release.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- for what?frieders311-11-2026
- Blah blah blah!frieders311-11-2026
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- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
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After his day out front on the attack @romainbardet is our first rider home atop Prati di Tivo.⛰️ More chances to come! #KeepChallenging #GirodItalia🇮🇹
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